Ocean Parking has responded after a father was issued a £100 parking fine, later increased to £170, following a visit to Marks & Spencer at the Peel Centre in Stockport. Tim Coates parked to shop at the store on June 22 this year and 'didn't think anything of it', but later found he had breached the firm's strict rules.
The company requires cars to be completely between the white lines of a parking bay. A photo seen by the Manchester Evening News, taken when the fine was issued, shows Mr Coates' tyre on the white line.
Appeal rejected
Mr Coates was issued the £100 fine and later appealed. He said: "Due to the car parked next to me, I couldn't park any closer or I couldn't get the pram out. There's literally one tyre on the white line. They said I was obstructing someone from parking in the bay next to me. I tried to appeal it, [asking for] a common sense policy if you have got a child in the car. I needed the space."
The appeal was rejected, but Mr Coates said he did not receive notification of this until a debt collector's letter arrived. He claims this meant he missed the window to either pay the fine before it rose to £170 or appeal it further.
Firm's response
A spokesperson for Ocean Parking said: "We can confirm that the PCN was issued at the Peel Centre, Stockport, on 22 June 2026 for the vehicle not being parked wholly within a marked bay. The motorist appealed on 1 July and our records show that the appeal outcome was emailed to them on 3 July. When they subsequently contacted us on 10 August stating they had not received the outcome, we provided a further copy on 11 August.
"The PCN was passed to debt recovery on 14 August after no further correspondence or payment was received. When the motorist contacted us again on 2 September regarding their opportunity to appeal to the IAS, we advised that, although the standard 28-day period had expired, they could submit a non-standard appeal. No further contact has been received and no appeal has been submitted to the IAS. We understand that receiving a parking charge can be frustrating, and we have sought to address the motorist's concerns by providing copies of the relevant correspondence and explaining the options available to them."
In response to a complaint to the International Parking Community (IPC), a DVLA-accredited trade association, they said the evidence suggested Mr Coates had been informed by email on July 3 his appeal had been rejected. Ocean Parking said they 'did not receive any notification that the email had failed to send or was undeliverable'.
MP involvement
The IPC said they had not seen evidence suggesting Ocean Parking failed to issue the notice or provide information, and that there had been no breaches of any code of practice in the handling of the fine.
Mr Coates wants to raise awareness, fearing others may be caught out. He told the Manchester Evening News: "I could understand if I was parked over the white line and parked like a buffoon but it's literally millimetres. It's caused me anxiety. I don't mind saying that. I am quite mentally tough but this has caused me anguish. In a world at the moment since Covid where it seems you do not get good customer service anywhere, you are treated like you are processed. There is no human element to this. There's no humanity or compassion. I parked in good faith. For it to cost £170 to go into M&S is a bit unpleasant. I am really angry but I am sure there are others in Stockport like this."
Mr Coates has raised the issue with his local MP Navendu Mishra, who told the Manchester Evening News: "I have raised, and will continue to raise, constituents' concerns with Ocean Parking, which manages the Peel Centre car park. In the past, I have met with representatives from Ocean Parking to discuss issues that residents have experienced, and those discussions resulted in changes being made. The Peel Centre is used by tens of thousands of people, and while concerns about parking enforcement are understandably frustrating for those affected, it is not appropriate for me to comment on individual cases."
Marks & Spencer declined to comment.
